Despite some recent crazy weather, including sleet/hail, Spring is definitely in the air!
Baby chickens are growing fast- now about 6 weeks old
and Yellow Chig is keeping a close eye on them
She’s such a sweet old gal. Yesterday I dug back in my photos to figure out how old she is- I was thinking she was probably about 6 or so, but it turns out she’s 8 years old! And still laying the occasional egg. She loves to hang out in the hoophouse and dust bathe in the warm surface soil, and I like to watch her enjoying her retirement. 🙂
In the hoophouse, the seedlings are coming on strong
And on the pasture side, I’ve gotten one sheep sheared. This year, first haircut honors go to Fiona
I even got it all in one go- except for her belly, which will need to be cleaned up later.
And I’m striving to wash as I go, so I don’t have a lot of raw fleece hanging around-
It’s a lovely creamy taupe color. Will be so fun to work with. Had some issues with felting along the mid-back, but those bits, with their curly tips, will make excellent toupees for future sock monkeys!
Not sure who will be next in the beauty salon, but there is a lot of fleece out there on the hoof right now. Check out Esther’s current style-
She’s a walking wool festival!
Have a good week everyone-
I can’t believe I’m actually ahead of you on shearing! Did #4 (of ten) today and am feeling it. Where’s a live-in personal masseuse when you need one?
I have a question. I saved Bridget’s trashy neck fleece to hopefully try out my combs for the first time. Can/should you comb unwashed fleece? I know you’re supposed to comb locks, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the locks organized if I wash it first.
oooh- I’m catching up with you today Michelle! just did #2 this afternoon (Esther). She’s a big girl- you are so right about the masseuse. Really feeling it in my forearm. Anyway, I think that you can comb raw fleece, but I have not. Probably best that it is fresh and the weather is warm, so that any greasy is more oily than sticky. I find that I can usually identify locks after washing, but even if you can’t, you can still lash wool on without the lock structure being intact. Give it a go! Hand-combed wool is such a dream to spin 🙂
Fiona’s fleece is gorgeous! It is nice seeing Chone’s wool spun up.
Thanks Donna- yeah, I’m really glad to have Chone wool from various years in the stash, so I can spin and think of my sweet little guy. It’s bittersweet, but better to have loved and lost, as they say-